REVISITING THE DRAFT
War raises possibility of national lottery to increase US troop totals
As the war in Iran continues and the toll on American service members' lives ticks up, so do questions about troops on the ground and the Trump administration's comments about a possible military draft.
Here's what to know about Selective Service and how the draft works.
The number of American troops injured in the Iran war was 200 as of March 18, 10 of whom are seriously wounded, according to officials, and more than 180 of whom returned to duty after suffering minor injuries.
Thirteen American service members died so far in the Iran war, with no end date in site.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement March 10 that President Donald Trump's initial timeline for Operation Epic Fury was four to six weeks, but she said "ultimately, the operations will end when the Commander in Chief determines the military objectives have been met," and the country is in "unconditional surrender."
Leavitt also sparked military draft concerns in a recent interview with Maria Bartiromo, who asked about the president's plan for troops on the ground. Leavitt admitted the president is not ruling out American troops on the ground in Iran or a military draft.
"President Donald Trump wisely doesn't remove options off of the table," Leavitt said, adding, "The president, as commander in chief, wants to continue to assess the success of this military operation. It's not part of the current plan right now, but the President, again, wisely wants to keep his options on the table."
The last time a draft call was issued in the US was in 1972 during the Vietnam War. There is no draft at present.
Here's what to know about the Selective Service System, how the draft would work and who gets drafted first.
Is the draft coming back?
There is no active or planned draft at this time. Consideration for a draft would begin only after exhausting troops on the ground with the country's active-duty military personnel, such as full-time professional military, including National Guard and Reserves, and any volunteers or enlistees who join after the war begins.
It would require congressional approval when and if volunteer and professional forces are insufficient to meet the military's personnel requirements during a major national emergency.
Who is required to register for Selective Service?
All male US citizens or dual citizens residing in the US or living abroad and male immigrants, including permanent residents, refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented, residing in the US are legally required to register for the Selective Service if they are between 18 and 25 years of age, according to the Selective Service, excluding those already on active duty with the armed forces or those who are hospitalized or institutionalized.
Women are not required to register for Selective Service, nor does it accept voluntary registrations from women.
Registration for the Selective Service can be done online, at the post office, via a registration form and is sometimes included in driver's license applications. While registrations are not currently automatic for males upon turning 18, federal law will change this process to full, automatic registration using government databases beginning December 18, 2026, according to Selective Service.
Failing to register for Selective Service is a federal felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000, according to the Selective Service. It can also result in other penalties such as ineligibility for federal student loans, federal employment and US citizenship for immigrants.
Who can be drafted?
Currently, only men ages 18 through 25 who are U.S. citizens or residents (including immigrants, refugees and undocumented) would be considered for a draft.
Women cannot be drafted according to the current laws. Though they can volunteer to fight in a war, they would not be considered in a draft.
In the event a military draft were to get reinstated in the US, the Selective Service would conduct a National Draft Lottery via a public, nationally televised and livestreamed lottery where a random drawing of birthdays and numbers would establish the order in which individuals would receive orders to report for induction into the Armed Forces.
What would be the order of the draft?
Who would be drafted in order of age, would be as follows:
1 Those whose 20th birthday falls during the year of the draft lottery
2 21
3 22
4 23
5 24
6 25
7 19
8 18
Am I registered with Selective Service?
To register with the Selective Service, go to sss.gov/register/ to start registration. If you want to check your registration status, go to sss.gov/verify/.
